USA > New York > Chautauqua County > History of Chautauqua County, New York > Part 108
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The Methodist Episcopal Church at Hamlet originated in the formation of a class December 25, 1823, by Elder Daniel Prosser. The class consisted of Polly Smith, Obadialı Warner, Rebecca Warner, Taylor Judd, Polly Judd, Lewis Barmore, Maria Barmore, Diadema Warner, Lura Nunn, Polly Baker, Hiram Kingsley, Milton Foot, Lois Foot and Brinty Congdon. A class had been previously formed at Wright's corners, which was merged in the society at Hamlet. Among the early circuit preachers were John P. Kent, John Buel, Richard Wright, James Ayres. Their meetings were first held in
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HISTORY OF CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY, N. Y.
dwellings and barns. A house of worship was built in 1836. Present min- ister, Rev. Mr. Elkins.
A Wesleyan Methodist Church was organized in 1858, with 20 members, by Rev. Mr. Sibley, the first pastor.
The Freewill Baptist Church was organized in 1826 by Rev. Thomas Grinnell, with these membess : Enos Bronson and wife, Judah Warner and wife, Russell O. Smith and wife, Mrs. Stevens and Amy Blackmar. The first house of worship was built in 1839. The first parsonage was built in 1867. Rev. Washington Shepard was one of the early pastors, serving the church for many years, and was a highly respected and worthy servant of the Lord. Rev. George E. Ford is the present pastor.
The first townmeeting in Villenova was held in the year 1823. These officers were elected : Supervisor, Ezra Puffer; town clerk, Milton Foot ; assessors, Daniel Wright, Isaiah Martin, Villeroy Balcom ; collector, Charles Wright ; overseers of poor, Alvah Simons, Nathaniel Warner ; com'rs. of highways, Nathaniel Smith, Stephen P. Kinsley ; constables, Auren G. Smith, Charles Wright ; com'rs. of schools, Daniel Wright, Alvah Simons, John Weaver ; inspectors of schools, Hiram Kinsley, Ezra Puffer, Milton Foot.
SHPERVISORS. -- 1823-24, Ezra Puffer ; 1825-26-27-28-29-30, Villeroy Balcom ; 1831, Daniel Wright ; 1832, Villeroy Balcom ; 1833, Henry Allen ; 1834-35-36, Austin Pierce ; 1837, John C. Dibble ; 1838, Luthur Pierce ; 1839; Austin Pierce ; 1840, Nathan Gurney ; 1841, Daniel Wright ; 1842-43, Joseph G. Hopkins ; 1844, Nathan Gurney ; 1845-46-47, George Hopkins : 1848, Ville- roy Balcom ; 1849, Austin Pierce : 1850-51, Timothy G. Walker; 1852, Martin Crowell ; 1853, Hiram Cornell; 1854-55, Martin Crowell ; 1856-57, James Wright : 1858-59-60-61-62, Martin Crowell ; 1863, Horace Burgess ; 1864, M. S. Corey ; 1865-66-67, Martin Crowell ; 1868-69, Tyler II. Searl ; 1570, Horatio G. Pope ; 1871, Rollin L. Shepard; 1872-73, Tyler H. Searl ; 1874, Julius A. Terry ; 1875-76, David S. Bennett ; 1877, Rollin L. Shepard ; 1878, Tyler HI. Searl, 1879, Manley M. Sessions ; 1880, Tyler H. Searl ; 1881, Eugene A. Dye ; 1882, Horace Sanderson, 1883-84-85-86, Hamilton B. Parker : 1887, William E. Judd ; 1888-89, Frank M. Waite ; 1890-91, Hamilton B. Parker ; 1892-93, Austin P. Jay ; 1894, Albert HI. Libbey.
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CHERRY CREEK.
CHERRY CREEK.
BY WM. S. BLAISDELL.
CHAPTER LXXVII.
C HERRY CREEK was formed from Ellington May 4, 1829, and com- prises township 4, range 10, of the Holland Company's surveys. In the east part are several swamps. The soil is clay and gravelly loam. Conewango creek passes southerly through the town, nearly to its east bor- der, and receives the waters of Cherry creek about a mile southeasterly from the village of Cherry Creek. The surface is hilly in the west and northwest and rolling in the south. Cherry Creek village is a little east of the center of the town ; has one postoffice. Its population is about Soo.
The first settlement in the town was made by Joseph M. Kent on lot 9, in the spring of 1815. He was a native of Royalton, Vt., and, after having resided successively in Herkimer and Onondaga counties, removed to Gerry, (now Cherry Creek). He came with a wife and seven children, one of whom Ara W., resides in town. (See page 249). Mr. Kent, his son George, Nancy, his eldest daughter, and John P. Kent, a nephew, cleared the first land cleared in the town, and raised from it the first crop of potatoes in the town the same year. The next spring, destitute of provisions and money, he felled a pine tree, the stump of which still remains, and made from the trunk a canoe 60 feet in length, launched it in Conewango river, put into it about 1,500 pounds of maple sugar and some black salts, and ran it down to Pitts- burgh. He there exchanged his cargo for flour, pork, salt, and with the help of his son, George, pushed his vessel with pike poles back to Cherry Creek, having been absent three weeks. The family during his absence subsisted chiefly on sugar and milk. Joshua Bentley, Jr., was the second settler. He settled on lot 15, September 1, 1815. He had located in Ellery about 1808. He was one of the surveyors that ran the lines in this part of the county prior to its settlement. The center of the township was found in the survey to be on a little island in the stream, where there was a small, red-cherry tree. Mr. Bentley cut it down, made a stake of it, drove it down and named the stream " Cherry creek," which gave the name to the town. Mr. Bentley enjoyed forest life and scenery. After several years of " life in the woods," it was suddenly embittered by a most distressing bereavement. (See page 285).
Cherry Creek's first road was cut out by Jolin 'Kent, brother of Joseph
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HISTORY OF CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY, N. Y.
M., one of the first purchasers of land in Villenova. In the spring of 1810 he built his house on the old Indian camping grounds, at the headwaters of the Conewango. He also built the first sawmill and gristmill in the eastern part of the county. The Indian trail from the Cattaraugus reservation to the Allegany passed down the Conewango valley its entire length through Villenova, Cherry Creek, Ellington, Poland, Pine Grove and North Warren, Pa. Where this trail crossed the farin now owned by W. S. Blaisdell, were two large springs where the Indians had a camp with a stone fireplace. This camp was almost continuously occupied by parties of Indians, who stopped to fish and hunt as they passed either north or south.
John P. Kent, a son, and John Dighton, in the summer of 1812, cut out the first road through the heavy forest from Kent's mill in Villenova, 16 miles through Cherry Creek to Kennedyville, for which they received from the Holland Company ten dollars per mile. This road followed the line of the Conewango valley on the Indian trail running on the west side of the village, Mrs. Robertson's residence and G. Frank Lapham's residence stand squarely on the old track ; thence southeasterly near the Ira Bassett place. The present traveled north and south road is on higher land. This road . crosses the old road near Kilbourn's mill, intersecting it again at the Bassett place. Three years later they cut out another road across the town to Sin- clairville, branching off from the old road on lot 16 in Cherry Creek, taking a sonthwesterly line, passing the homes of Gardner Crandall and Isaac Cur- tis on lot 23. At that time they were the only residents in town on this road. Mr. Kent desired straight roads if they did run across lots, hence this road was cut out over the highest hills and deepest valleys, from near where Geo. B. Tanner settled in 1824, over the highest hill in town to the John D. Mount farm and the Myron Field farm into Charlotte, then down the hill to Sinclairville, here intersecting a road leading to Charlotte Center. This has been known as the old Kent road, and is now called Kent street by Sinclairville people.
Gardner Crandall and Isaac Curtis had each purchased 100 acres on lot 23, and Mr. Crandall built a log house 26x20, and in the spring of 1816 both families moved into it and lived there until Mr. Curtis could build. Mr. Crandall lived many years in Cherry Creek, and became the father of 22 children by two wives. Isaac Curtis and his family are all gone except a distant relative who now owns the farm. Stephen Curtis, a brother of Isaac, settled on adjoining land, and left two sons, Henry L. and John H. Curtis. James Marks, the next purchaser of land in Cherry Creek, (his deed calling for 160 acres in the south part of lot 20, bearing date October 20, 1815), built his modest ISxIS log house covered with bark and without any floor, and moved in, his furniture consisting of an axe, a gun and a baking " kittle." This was the first house built in the now incorporated village of Cherry
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CHERRY CREEK.
Creek. His house soon after became unoccupied, and remained so until about IS24; it was then fitted up for a schoolhouse for the first school taught in the village. Its teacher, Angeline Pickering, became the wife of John Babcock and settled in Busti.
In May, 1816, Barber Babcock on lot 19, Ely D. Pendleton on lot 20, and Renben Cheney lot 18, became settlers of Cherry Creek, lived here many years, raised families, cleared up farms and made homes. In June, 1817, Elam Edson, William Weaver on lot 18, Rufus Hitchcock and Hiram Hill on lot 49, Jolin Smith lot 17, Henry Babcock lot 20, Nathaniel Gibbs, Jr., lot 11, Eliphalet W. Wilcox lot 17, Robert Page lot 28, were settlers. Daniel Hadley from Vermont came with his family to this county November 9, 1817. Three of his sons settled in Cherry Creek, Niles and Alvah on parts of lot 41, John P. on lot 27 near the village. He married the daughter of Robert James, also an early settler. Three sons survive him : Almanson, George and Darius. He took an active part in laying out and cutting ont early roads in Cherry Creek, and in getting the town set off from Ellington in 1829. He also frequently served in town offices, and was town clerk at the time of liis deatlı. He held the militia offices from corporal to major.
To
In the southwest part of the town lived Alvali Hadley, whose son, Ozro A., was for a time acting governor of Arkansas, and Niles Hadley, who lived and died on his early purchased home. Two sons, Daniel and Joseph, remain on the old homestead. Also settled here Mr. Ward and his sons, William, On, and Ai ; Hudson Smith, John Howard, Nathaniel Dunham, Arthur Hines, Addison Phillips, John Luce, Reuben A. Bullock, Myron Field, Horatio Hill. Joseph Price on lot 42, had 3 sons : John, Lawrence and David. Abraham T. Andrus settled where John D. Mount now lives. In the northwest part were : John Bartlett, Ira B. Tanner, Alvah Bannister, Elkanal Steward, Oliver Carpenter, Anson Newton, Wilbur Burdick, John Essex, J. Richardson, Eben Abbey, Putnam Farrington, a general in the war of 1812, one of whose sons, Tompkins, remains on the old homestead. Ora Parks, who settled in 1824 on lot 37 three miles in the woods from neigh- bors, cleared his farm, raised a large family. Enos A. Brownson came from Connecticut and settled on lot 56 near the north line in 1825, where he died in 1858. His sons were William, Horace, Allen L., Monson M.
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In a little settlement at Shattuck's schoolhouse was made the first attempt at a village in the town in the spring of 1820 01 lot 34. Here settled Robert James, Montgomery Evans, Norton Still, David Myers, Horatio Hill, Demas Stone, Robert James, Jr., and Randall Spencer, who held the first Methodist classmeetings in his house for a number of years. A burying ground was soon laid out. Pliny Shattuck opened a blacksmith shop here in 1831 .* The hopes of having a village at this point were soon blasted.
*His grandson, Jerome B. Shattuck, built the first silo in this section in 1890. Several years ago he com-
be
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HISTORY OF CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY, N. Y.
George H. Frost, from Rensselaer county, came in 1823, and built the second house in what is now the village of Cherry Creek on the south part of lot 20, (land taken up by James Marks in 1815). Mr. Frost became the first settler with a family in the village, kept the first tavern, and was the first postmaster. He afterward kept a store, later lived on a farın, but returned to the village and died in 1873. He had been for several years supervisor. His children were George N., who was supervisor for years; Charles (dec.); Isbun ; Selina ; Fidelia (dec.); Eliza ; Mary ; Emeline ; Lillis ; Isadore ; Helen.
William Green, Almeron Bly, Elam Edson, Ira Bassett, Jolin Bovee, Rol- lins Kilbourn, Harvey James, Aaron Bartlett, Jolin P. Hadley, Thomas Berry, Cyrus Thatcher and Alfred Goodrich were early settlers in the villlage. In the vicinity of the village were Michael Page, Eddy Weatherly, Jotham God- frey, Steplien Blaisdell, Julius Gibbs, Henry Babcock, William Kilbourn, and Thomas Carter, who established a tannery with a shoe shop. In the central part, Robert James settled in 1820 on lot 36 and died there. Of his sons, Robert J., was supervisor in 1831 and 1832, Jonathan was a physician. Thomas Mount brought a wife and 14 children from New Jersey. Of them, Ezekiel, John, Hezekialı, Furman, Samuel and Rebecca, (Mrs. A. F. Robbins) reside here. Anthony Morian settled on lot 44 in 1835 and now resides in the village.
In the southeast part Wanton King settled on lot 9 in 1820. His sons are Thomas, Ward, Obadiah. On lot 18 Josiah Crum settled. His three daughters live in the village. Eason Matteson located on lot 18 in 1820. His sons John and James live in the village, Almanson in Chicago. In the south part the early settlers were : Daniel Waggoner, Isaac C. Brown, Wil- liam S. Bullock, Moses Ells, Clark Losee, George W. Hitchcock. Job Eddy settled on lot 23 in the northeast part in 1820. Thomas Wilcox from Han- over was an early settler, first on lot 17 in 1819, 011 lot 21 in 1824, and on lot 24 in 1829, where he died. He was noted for his industry and for clear- ing much land. His sons were Daniel, Erastus, Alfred and Harlow. A daughter lives in the village. James Carr settled in 1823 on lot 15, land bought of Joshua Bentley, Jr., and afterwards kept store in the village. He was supervisor of Ellington in 1828 and 1829, and the first supervisor of Cherry Creek. He had one son, Andrew, J. Win. G. Carr came in October, 1829, with wife and two children, and settled on lot 15. Jairus Nash from Stephentown, an early school teacher, settled on lot 23. His son, William, resides on the homestead. Jared Ingalls located on all of lot 22 in 1825, and built a sawmill. Daniel B. Parsons, from Madison county, settled in 1850 on lot 23, where he died. Both he and his son, Reuben W., have been super-
menced winter dairying and now mitks 40 Jersey and high grade cows, uses the separator process, and his buttet brings a high price. In 1993 the state commissioners of exhibits at the Chicago Exposition selected him as one whose products would properly represent New York. His butter took second place among 153 exhibits, was awarded two premiums, and stood 98 in a scale of 100.
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CHERRY CREEK.
visors. William Weaver in 1817 settled on lot 18 ; a few years after on lot 14, where he died. On Powers hill George Sheffield settled on lot 29. His sons were : Aaron, Hiram, Alanson and Judson. Daniel Powers, a son-in-law, from whom the hill takes its name, settled on the same lot, 29.
The first birth in town was that of Lydia, daughter of Joseph M. and Patty Kent, in 1816. She married Hon. C. B. Green of Ellington. The first marriage was James Battles to Rachel, daughter of Daniel Hadley, June 6, 1819. The first death was that of Rufus Hitchcock in 1820. He fell from the roof of his house just as he had completed it and fractured his skull. The first school taught was by Reuben Cheney in the south part of the town. The first merchant in Cherry Creek was Seth Grover, who started in trade in 1831. He had in connection with his store an ashiery and a pearling oven. Later, Cyrus Thatcher and Geo. H. Frost were in trade. Present merchants : O. E. Parsons and F. J. Shattuck & Co., drugs and medicines, M. Allen and F. F. Green, I. S. Benton, granite and marble works, and others.
Richard A. Hall was born in Cherry Creek May 12, 1864. His parents were Artimas and Elinira Hall. He was educated at the Fredonia Normal School and read law with Hon. George H. Frost and admitted to the bar at Buffalo June 5, 1889. He practiced law at Sherman, and November, 1890, he located at Cherry Creek.
G. Frank Lapliam is engaged in insurance business.
The first resident physician, Horace Morgan, came in 1829. He was fol- lowed by Oliver B. Main, Edwin G. Bly, T. G. Walker and others. Among the carly tailors were Jonathan Greenman and Russell Bartlett. Present one, Alfred A. Knapp. The first sawmill was built by Win. Kilbourn in 1824 on Cherry creek near the village ; he attached the next year a shop for making spinning-wheels, chairs, etc., to his mill. The second sawmill was built by Robert James and Win. Green in 1833. The first gristmill was built by Hull Nickerson in 1828 near the site of Price's sawmill. It had one run of stones, and was used only for corn. In 1848 Joseph Kent built a gristmill with all modern appliances, with three runs of stones for grinding .all kinds of grain. This mill was burned in 1869, and rebuilt in 1870 by Silas Vinton.
Immediately under the grocery store of George W. Brown a large spring bubbles up. In the early days of settlement this was much larger than now and overflowed quite an area of land. The deer found some attractive qual- ity in the water not present in any other spring, and resorted here often and in numbers. This gave it the name of "The Deer Lick " by which it was long known.
Stephen Blaisdell was born in Gilford, N. H., August 7, 1786. When he was about 20 he made a public profession of religion, soon after commenced preaching, and traveled extensively in the New England states. He married
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HISTORY OF CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY, N. Y.
in Templeton, Mass., in 1810, Bathsheba Aldrich, born in March, 1788. He removed to Leyden, Vt. In March, 1824, he settled in Ellington, (then Gerry), on lot 29. In April, 1827, he removed to lot 28 in Cherry Creek. He was connected with the Christian denomination and was ordained to the ministry in 1808. His children were : Sarah Ann, (dec.); Eliza, (dec.); Amanda I., (dec.); William S., Bogardus A., (dec.); Napoleon L. Stephen Blaisdell died September 9, 1854.
Horatio Hill was born in Vermont in 1808. He settled here in 1817. He married Seviah Weatherly. He died in 1888. Their children were : Nelson II., Lucinda, Josephine, Austin O., Orseba, Nora L., Orton, Orin and Mary. Austin O. died in the late war.
Joseph Kent was born January 22, 1814, in Cortland county. He was brought here when three years old, and lived in Cherry Creek 70 years, and for much of that time was the "lumber king of the upper Conewango." Ile married, Ist, November 20, 1837, Maria Vedder. George A. S. Kent was their son. Mr. Kent married, 2d, in November, 1839, Rachel E. Vedder. They had two children, Mariam and Emory. This old pioneer, lumberman and farmer lived long and usefully, dying in 1887.
Charles A. Spencer, born in Oneida county, June 30, 1810, located here in 1833 as a tanner, at which trade he labored 15 years. He has filled very acceptably important offices, supervisor, superintendent of the county poor for 21 years, and justice of the peace 25 years. A genial old gentleman, at an advanced age and under the misfortune of loss of sight, he still keeps interest in affairs and a bright and cheerful heart. He married Selina, daughter of Geo. II. Frost, in 1840. They had two daughters, Frances, (Mrs. Melvin M. Mount), and Adelaide, (Mrs. Darwin M. Saunders).
CHURCHES .- Methodist Episcopal Church .- A class was formed as early as 1817. Among its members were Joseph M. and Patty Kent, Reuben Cheney, Barber Babcock and John Smith. Meetings were at first held at Mr. Kent's house. They were afterwards held at Randall Spencer's, two miles west of the village. Among the early class leaders were Ran- dall Spencer and Robert James, Jr. The church was fully organized with seven members in 1857 by Rev. O. L. Mead. The first church property was bought in 1859. The present pastor is Rev. H. H. Clare.
A Christian Church was organized March 23, 1839. Seth S. Chase was chosen ruling elder, and Sullivan Gardner deacon and clerk. The members at organization were : Seth S. Chase, Sullivan Gardner, Putnam Farrington, Warren Skeels, Fanny Chase, Sally Carr, Lepha and Mary Weaver, Lucy Grover, Betsey King, Bathsheba Blaisdell, Harriet James. The church has no meetinghouse.
The Freewill Baptist Church was formed in 1826 by Rev. Thomas Grin- nell, and is said to have been the earliest religious organization in the town,
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and was composed of John P. Hadley and wife, Jotham Godfrey and wife, Betsey Hardy and Mrs. Gardner Crandall. The church built its first meet- house in 1845. Rev. G. B. Southwick is pastor.
The First Baptist Church was formed February 5, 1831, as the "Branch Church of the Conewango Church." The constituent members were: Ira B. Tanner and wife, Jolin Essex, Almeron Bly and wife, Samuel and Lydia Hodges, Covell and Carlana Nickerson, Daniel Osborne, Mercy Babcock, Betsey Matterson. In October Jared and Abigail Ingalls became members. In 1832 to forin an independent church letters of admission were obtained from the Conewango church, and October 26, 1832, a council constituted " The First Baptist church of Cherry Creek." In January, 1833, the church elected Jarius Nash deacon, and Covell Nickerson clerk. Their first church edifice was dedicated January 11, 1849. Their first pastor was Rev. James Bennett ; the present is Rev. Mr. Hankinson.
Cherry Creek Lodge, F. & A. M., No. 38.4 .- In June, 1855, a dispensa- tion was granted on petition of D. B. Parsons, John L. Safford, Curtis C. Denison, John Hubbard, Versal Farrington, together with these appointed officers : Wm. S. Blaisdell, W. M. ; Alvah Billings, S. W. ; Oliver B. Main, J. W. ; George B. Aldrich, treasurer ; George Hopkins, secretary. A charter was granted in June, 1856, with the above named officers. John O'Neal and R. W. Parsons became members while the lodge was under dispensation. Since 1856 its membership has increased to upwards of 100. Win. S. Blaisdell was elected the first master, and was continued by reelection for seven years. October 10, 1856, the lodge occupied new lodge rooms, and September 16, 1891, the fine Masonic Ifall in the Benton-Wilcox block was dedicated.
The Cherry Creek Lodge of Odd Fellows was instituted April 6, 1852, David S. Forbes installing officer. Its first officers were John T. Clark, N. G. ; Anthony Morian, V. G. ; Silas Vinton, S. ; O. C. Chase, T. ; R. N. Tan- ner, P. S. Meetings for a while were suspended, but for some time great activ- ity has been manifested and the lodge has a membership of about a hundred.
The Cherry Creek News, a Republican paper, bright, breezy and able, was established in ISSo by Charles J. Shultz.
The first townmeeting in Cherry Creek, after its organization in IS29, was held at the hotel of George H. Frost in March, 1830. James Carr was elected supervisor and Robert James town clerk. SUPERVISORS .- James Carr, 1830-33-36-40-46-52 ; Robert James, Jr., 1831-32 ; George H. Frost, 1834-35 ; Oliver Carpenter, IS37; Horace Bronson, 1838; Win. G. Carr, IS39; Wmn. Kil- bourn, IS41-42-43 ; Archibald F. Robbins, 1844 ; Oliver B. Main, 1845-49-50 ; Charles A. Spencer, IS47-48; Joseph Kent, 1851-56 ; Daniel B. Parsons, 1853-54 ; Silas Vinton, 1855-59-60-68-71 ; Horatio Hill, IS57-58-64 ; Reuben W. Parsons, 1861-63-65 ; Anthony Morian, 1862-67 ; George N. Frost, 1866-69-72-73-75-77 ; Welcome C. Carpenter, 1870 ; Harry Billings, 1874 ; Win. S. Blaisdell, 1878-79 ; James Richardson, 1880; S. A. Ferrin, 1881-82-83-84-85-86-87-88-91-92 ; W. F. Stetson, 1889; W. I. Phillips, 1890 ; R. A. Hall, 1893-94.
The officers of the village are : President, C. A. Mount; trustees, Isaac Benton, Wales Shepardson, H. C. Mount ; street commissioner, H. P. Smith ; clerk, Leroy Martin.
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HISTORY OF CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY, N. Y.
ELLINGTON.
FIRST SETTLEMENTS.
BY HON. THEODORE A. CASE.
CHAPTER LXXVIII.
T HE question as to who was the first actual settler in this town, as its boundaries are at present constituted, seems to be a matter of some little doubt, but the best of authorities agree that the first opening in the forest was made in the northeast part of the town on lot 7, and Joshua Bentley, Jr., is credited as being the first actual settler, although it is claimed and probably justly, that another party made a clearing and erected a cabin near the same locality a year or two in advance of Bentley, but remained only a short time. Mr. Bentley it appears belonged to a party of surveyors and originally came from Stephentown, Rensselaer county, this state, and in 1813, with the help of his wife, erected a rude log cabin on the east part of the lot above named, just west of the present site of Conewango Valley. His father, Joshua Bentley, settled on lot 15 in the present town of Cherry Creek about the same time. The father two years later articled a part of lot 16 in Ellington on the line of the "old Chautauqua road," erected a log house, and in it kept the first tavern ever kept in town. The descendants of the Bentleys became very numerous and many families of them still continue to reside in that part of the town and in the adjoining town of Cherry Creek. In April, 1815, Wyman Bugbee, a native of Connecticut, settled on lot 29 about one-lialf mile west of the present village of Ellington in the Clear creek valley, and in the same spring James Bates of Massachusetts settled on lot 48, erecting a log house which he converted into a tavern. In 1816 Samuel McConnell and Simon Lawrence settled in the town ; the former came from Cayuga county and located on lot 47 ; the latter came with his family from Rutland county, Vermont, with an ox team, the journey occupying six weeks. He settled on lot 38, just west of Bugbee's, and after providing a shelter for his family proceeded to clear the the side-hill back of his house where he planted the first orchard in town ; many of the trees are still standing. Simon Lawrence, Jr., born in 1817, still occupies the premises and was the first white male child born in the town. Benjamin Follet settled on lot 40 in 1816, and in the following year Ward King arrived from Massachusetts and
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